The use of smartphones, tablet computers, wearable computers, and “smart” accessories is becoming increasingly prevalent. Smartphones are almost ubiquitous in high income countries and are increasingly popular in middle and low income countries as the costs of production decrease and Internet access becomes more available. This increased prevalence of computing power and devices offers many opportunities for improved ways of monitoring health and placing health management more in the control of the patient.
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the world and is prevalent in the populations of high-income and low-income countries alike. Heart rate measurement, blood pressure measurement, and electrocardiography are widely used techniques for diagnosing the cardiovascular health of a patient.